


everyone's burnt and everyone's burning

by ignore_the_fire_im_fine



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Haikyuu!!
Genre: Also his fire is blue bc fuck you i felt like it, Angst, BAMF Iwaizumi Hajime, BAMF Oikawa Tooru, Earthbender Iwaizumi Hajime, Enemies to Lovers, Firebender Oikawa Tooru, I made Oikawa a combination of Zuko and Azula bc why not, If you don't watch avatar basically people control the elements, M/M, Oikawa Being Dramatic, Politics, Revolution, Spies & Secret Agents, and the fire nation is invading everyone they suck, like the avatar version
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25239133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ignore_the_fire_im_fine/pseuds/ignore_the_fire_im_fine
Summary: Oikawa Tooru is the son of General Oikawa, the most respected general in the Fire Nation. A talented fire bender and a tactical genius, he enlisted in the army on his nineteenth birthday. Everything was perfect. He was going to rise through the ranks, gain the title of general, and become the man he was destined to be. Unfortunately, things rarely turn out exactly as planned.Six months later, he's been shipped off to the city of New Ozai for the summer after being discharged from the army due to "The Incident". His parents say that he'll be allowed to reenlist after gathering his composure, but Oikawa is convinced that he's lost his chance forever.Meanwhile, a revolution brews in New Ozai. When the earth benders fighting against Fire Nation occupation hear that the son of General Oikawa is in the city, they plan to use him for leverage in the war. Iwaizumi Hajime, a young member of the resistance harboring a deep hatred for the Fire Nation, is tasked with watching the young fire bender. Neither side could have predicted what happened next.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime & Kozume Kenma, Iwaizumi Hajime & Kyoutani Kentarou, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Kuroo Tetsurou & Oikawa Tooru, Oikawa Tooru & Oikawa Tooru's Mother
Comments: 22
Kudos: 118





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> yiiiikes so here it is guys enjoy. 
> 
> BTW: I mention a 'sensu', which is a Japanese folding fan.

The moment Oikawa Tooru set his eyes on New Ozai he decided that it was an absolute waste of a city, and that his time would be better spent paddling back to the Fire Nation in a canoe than squandering another moment there. The place looked like a smoldering pile of dirt. When he first saw it he let out a massive sigh, and fell back into the plush seat of the carriage. 

“Tooru,” his mother said. 

“What?”

“You promised that you wouldn’t complain.”

Had he? If so, that had been a mistake. “I don’t recall complaining about anything.”

“I see. So that sigh was a sound of joy.”

“Maybe. Or excitement. Exhilaration. Could have even been indifference. Lots of interpretations to choose from.”

She snapped her sensu open and fanned herself, blowing strands of brown hair out of her face. They had been warned that the summers in the Earth Kingdom were sweltering, but they had both overdressed nonetheless. Oikawa was swimming in his own sweat. “Tooru, I realize you don’t want to be here, but if you spend the entire time sulking, that’s a waste of everyone’s time.”

“This is already a waste of time.” 

“Your father thinks you need time before you reenlist, and I agree. You can’t rush into these things.”

“Well, you’re both wrong. I’ve been training for years, I don’t need another summer. And in the colonies, of all places? This is pointless. I’m only here so none of father’s friends have to look at his failure of a son.”

“That isn’t true,” she said, her face a mask of gracious serenity. “We decided that you need time to recenter, to prepare. Especially after the… incident.” Oikawa couldn’t stop himself from cringing at that word. “No one’s embarrassed of you.”

“Then why can’t I recenter at home?”

“Home is… busy. We’d be distracting your father, and vice versa.”

“He’ll be sailing off to Ba Sing Se in a few weeks. The Earth Kingdom isn’t going to conquer itself. What does it matter if we’re there?”

“Enough,” she snapped, the mask slipping for a moment. “We’re here. This is for the best. Let’s not discuss this any longer.”

“Fine,” Oikawa muttered. He turned his attention back to the window. They had passed through the gates in the midst of their argument, and now they were moving through the winding streets. The city had an interesting look about it. The building looked liked they had been carved directly out of the mountain - they probably had been, centuries ago, by some ancient earthbenders. Now the place resembled a stone rabbit warrent. The streets were thick with people going about their business, shouting to each other in the rough accent of Omashu. Or New Ozai, whatever they were calling it now. In any case, the place screamed Earth Kingdom. The army had done their best to change that, of course. Fire Nation soldiers stood on every corner, the Fire Lord’s insignia was stamped everywhere you looked, and brand new metal structures had begun to rise from the stone buildings. But all those new additions seemed flimsy, temporary, just like the name New Ozai. This was Omashu, and everyone here knew it. Which meant, of course, that a black and red carriage rolling through town wasn’t a welcome sight. The passersby glowered at them, and a few people spat at their wheels.

“Do you remember the Kuroo family?”

“Huh?” Oikawa jumped. He had been distracted by an old man selling what looked like wooden legs. “Oh. No, not really.” The name was slightly familiar, but there were a million prominent Fire Nation families to remember at any given time.

She clucked in disapproval. “We had them over for dinner a few times back home, before they moved out here. A very important family. The father, Kuroo Takeshi is the governor of New Ozai. He was appointed when the city was first conquered. Remember?” 

“Vaguely. Why are you telling me this?”

She tch’d again. “We’ll be living next door to the family. We’ll probably be spending a lot of time with them. We’re practically their houseguests, so be polite. Remember names.” She paused, still fanning herself. “They have a boy your age. You would’ve gone to school together years ago, at the Royal Fire Academy for Boys. Kuroo Tetsurou, ringing any bells?”

He cocked his head. That did, actually. A boy in his class. Shrimpy, quiet, messy black hair. Hadn’t left much of an impression. “Do you want me to become best friends with him, in the name of politics?” She glared at him. “Hey, I never said I’m not willing. I can be charming,” he said with a flutter of his lashes. “As long as I don’t have to suck his cock or anything.”

“Oikawa Tooru!” She smacked him with her fan. “You’re impossible. I just thought you’d like having someone your age to talk to.”

“From what I remember, he doesn’t talk much.”

“Just play nice. I don’t want a repeat of what happened with Kageyama Tobio. That poor boy.”

Oikawa rolled his eyes. “Oh, yes, poor sweet Tobio-chan. Everyone made such a big deal out of that. I barely singed him.”

***

When they arrived at their new home for the summer, Oikawa had to stifle a laugh. They had arrived in front of what was clearly a row of Earth Kingdom mansions that the army had hastily decked out in the colors of the Fire Nation. A few months ago, he had heard his father mention plans to burn Omashu to the ground and build New Ozai in its place. Apparently that was too difficult, and the new plan was changing the color scheme to red. He could actually see where they had torn an Earth Kingdom emblem out of the wall. As of yet, nothing had taken its place, and the indent it left behind was almost as clear as the original decoration.

“Well,” his mother said, staring through the window. “I think it looks lovely.”

Oikawa snorted. “Yes, very patriotic. You can even pick the nation you’re partial to. How considerate.”

A man in Fire Nation armor waited for them on the front steps, flanked by over a dozen masked soldiers. One of them rushed forward to open the carriage door. The commanding officer followed, and helped his mother down the steps. Oikawa hopped out after her. The place smelled like grass and wet paint.

“It’s a pleasure to meet both of you,” the man said, looking each of them in the eye before sinking into a low bow. “Welcome to New Ozai. My name is Yamamoto Yuuto. I’ll be in charge of your protection while you’re in the city.”

“It’s good to meet you,” his mother said. “My name is Innami Oikawa, and this is my son, Tooru.” She looked around at the long line of soldiers flanking the steps. “There are more guards here than I expected. My husband told me that the city is a very safe place.”

“I understand your unease, Oikawa-sama, but these men are just a precaution. We had a small amount of trouble with agitators a few months ago, but the offenders are locked up where they belong, and things have been quiet since.” He pointed to a tall wall in the distance. “Currently, we’re in a part of the city blocked off for Fire Nation residents. This area is completely secure. Of course, I can’t guarantee nothing will happen if you mingled with the commoners. You know how the rabble can be.”

“Well, we’ll be staying in the compound,” she said, giving Oikawa a pointed look. “Won’t we?”

He sighed. “Of course, mother. Because being stuck inside one wall certainly isn’t enough.”

She smacked him again. He rubbed his head. The blades of her fan were pointier than they looked.

“Would you like a tour of the grounds?” Yamamoto asked, unphased.

“That would be lovely,” she said, the illusion of the gracious lady returning in an instant. 

“Actually, I think I’ll pass,” Oikawa said. “I’d like to start unpacking,” he said in response to his mother’s withering glare.

“Fine,” she muttered. “But if you get lost, it’s your own fault. Find a guard to help you carry your things.” With that, she took Yamamoto’s arm and disappeared between the green hedges of the perfectly manicured garden.

Oikawa returned to the carriage, and waved an arm at the line of soldiers. Immediately, three of them stepped forward to help him. He gestured at the various boxes and chests in the back of the carriage. “Would you take these to wherever I’ll be sleeping tonight?” he asked. They nodded, and started hauling his luggage. As they worked, he stepped back to stare at the wall of the compound. The situation was looking even bleaker than before. He wasn’t even allowed to explore the city he didn’t want to be in. He would be dead of boredom in a week.

“Did you bring the entire Fire Nation with you?” Someone asked.

Oikawa jumped, then turned in the direction of the voice. The boy who had spoken was tall, muscular, and topped with a shock of spiky black hair. He wore red silk, indicating his status as a fellow son of wealth. Currently, he was pointing at the line of soldiers carrying Oikawa’s luggage. He narrowed his eyes. So what if he had brought a lot of clothes? Just because he had been sent to the world’s saddest city didn’t mean he had to be unfashionable. 

“It’s a big house,” he replied. “We need to fill it up with something.”

“Good point,” the boy said, flashing him a crooked grin. “Long time no see, Oikawa.”

Oikawa raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

“You really don’t remember me?”

“No. Sorry, but I’ve met a lot of people.”

“Kuroo Tetsurou. We went to school together?”

Oikawa’s mouth fell open. The boy his mother had told him about just a few minutes ago? He probably should’ve seen that coming, but… he looked different. The only similarity between this man and the Kuroo Tetsurou he’d known was their horrendous hair. Otherwise, nothing. His voice had deepened, he was taller, more muscular. Even the way he stood was different. More confident, maybe. “You look different.”

“Well, I’m not thirteen anymore.”

They stood in silence for a moment.

“I’m impressed you remembered me,” Oikawa said. “I mean, we weren’t really close back then, right? It was a long time ago.”

“Oh, I definitely remember you. As I recall, you used to call me Rooster-head. Set my uniform on fire once.” All the amusement was gone from his face. 

Oikawa cringed. Now that Kuroo mentioned it, those events were vaguely familiar. “Ah… sorry about that.” At the time, the nickname had seemed hilarious. 

Kuroo burst out laughing. It was a weird laugh, more of a cackle. “I’m kidding! I did have a rooster head. Still do, actually. Though it’s a very attractive rooster head, in my opinion. And people change, right?”

“Right,” Oikawa said. He wasn’t sure how to proceed. “You’ve been here for a while, haven’t you?”

“Three years,” Kuroo said, sounding cheerful as can be. 

“How have you not died of boredom?” he asked. “I’ve been here five minutes, and I’m already afraid for my life.”

He shrugged. “The place grows on you. There’s… more going on there than they’d like us to know.”

“What does that mean?”

Kuroo glanced at the soldiers, then back at Oikawa. His grin returned. “For one thing, I’ve got a stash of rum hidden in one of those rose bushes.”

Oikawa threw his head back and groaned in relief. “Why didn’t you say so before? Take me there immediately.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On his way home from work, Iwaizumi Hajime receives surprising news concerning a young fire bender.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayy chapter 2!! And it's Iwa-chan's turn!

On his way home from work, Iwaizumi Hajime felt a prickle on the back of his neck. He stopped, turned. Sure enough, there was Kozume Kenma, staring at him from the mouth of an alley. They locked eyes, gold on green, and Kenma titled his head, just a little. An invitation. Iwaizumi sighed. He was exhausted from work, already covered in sweat. There wasn’t supposed to be a meeting today. But he was already on his way, maneuvering through the foot traffic. Both of them knew that if the resistance called, he would come. 

“What’s going on?” he asked.

Kenma stuck his head out into the street again and scanned for Fire Nation soldiers. The coast was clear. They moved a little further into the alley. “Sawamura wants us to meet. Something important has come up.”

“How important?” He lowered his voice. “Is it about...?”

Kenma sighed, and shook his head. “No, still no luck getting them back. Or even finding out where they are. Whatever prison they were sent to, the security is airtight. This is something different. I’ll tell you when we get there?”

Iwaizumi sighed. As nice as a bath and a hot meal sounded, he was intrigued. Sawamura never called meetings unannounced like this. “Fine. The usual place?”

He nodded, then disappeared, impossibly light on his feet. Iwaizumi went out the way he came and rejoined the river of people coming back from work. They always made a point of not travelling to the meeting place in groups. The soldiers sometimes trailed groups of young men walking together. He navigated the narrow, winding roads, careful to look disinterested and unassuming. He ground his teeth together as he passed a group of Fire Nation guards. It took all he had not to crush their skulls with the biggest rock he could find. 

Soon he reached a street that was nearly abandoned, and sidestepped into an empty alleyway. He quickly found the sewer grate. They were made of metal to prevent the general public from accessing the tunnels underneath the city. Fortunately, Iwaizumi wasn’t the general public. He placed his hands on the iron lattice and pulled. The bars bent like rubber. All it took was a little muscle and a little mend bending. He created an opening large enough for him, slid through, then pulled the bars back into place.

The sewers weren’t a pleasant place. They were dark, damp, and stunk of unmentionable things. Fortunately, he had spent enough time down here to get used to it. He started picking his way towards the meeting place, referencing a map of the tunnels he’d memorized. Soon enough, he saw a pool of yellow torchlight, and a couple dozen men standing in a circle: the Omashu Resistance.

“Welcome, everyone,” Sawamura said. He stood in the center of the group, his squared shoulders and wide stance immediately announcing who was in charge. Iwaizumi went to stand next to Kenma on the edge of the circle. “Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin. First off, I’d like to thank you all for meeting on such short notice. I wouldn’t have called you unless it was important. Kozume?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Please tell everyone what you told me.”

“Yes.” Kenma stepped forward. “Today, the wife and son of General Oikawa arrived in Omashu.” Everyone fell silent, then started muttering to each other. Iwaizumi felt his heart hammering against his rib cage. General Oikawa had led the battle that had finally forced Omashu into submission three years ago. In a month, he and his armies would arrive at the walls of Ba Sing Se, the last free city in the Earth Kingdom.

“Why are they here?” he heard himself ask. “Why would he send his family to the enemy in the middle of the war?”

“I don’t know,” Kozume said. “All we know is that they’re here, and likely intending to stay here for a while, based on the amount of luggage they brought.”

“I’m sure you all understand the kind of opportunities this presents,” Sawamura said. “Because the son is General Oikawa’s only heir, he’s the perfect bargaining chip.” 

“What do you mean, bargaining? We should string them up in the square,” Kyoutani growled. “Make them pay for what they did to us.”

The crowd fell silent. Sawamura fixed him with a stern glare. “Revenge isn’t worth the leverage,” he said. “These two present endless possibilities to further our cause. Would you waste such a rare opportunity just to see blood?”

“So, you’re a coward, then?” 

The group went deathly silent. Sawamura looked to Iwaizumi, who felt like banging both his own, and Kyoutani’s head against the wall. Daichi had accepted the hothead as a recruit on his recommendation. And naturally, the little bastard was blowing it. If he didn’t shut up now, it would be up to him to deal with it. “Kyoutani,” Iwaizumi barked, his voice full of steel. “You don’t speak that way to your superiors.”

“Superior? Since when? I don’t answer to cowards who won’t fight for what’s right,” he said as he took a step towards him, his eyes filled with rage.

Iwaizumi raised his hand. Two walls of rock shot up from the ground on either side of Kyoutani and pushed inwards, pinning him in place before he could jump out of the way. He squirmed and spat obscenities, but he was trapped. Iwaizumi stepped towards him. “You want the Fire Nation to pay? Then listen to Sawamura. He’s got a brain, unlike you. If we went with your plan, we’d be doing those bastards a favor. So calm down and shut up, or get the hell out of here.” He bent down. “Understand?”

The walls of rock fell back into the ground. Kyoutani massaged his arms, and gave Iwaizumi a hateful look. Without another word, he disappeared into the darkness of the tunnels. Iwaizumi muttered a curse to himself and started to go after him, but Daichi put a hand on his shoulder.

“Later. For now, we have planning to do. We’ll need to observe the family before making any moves.”

“I have an informant close to the family,” Kenma said. “He’s in an ideal position to gather intelligence.”

“Your man has been useful,” Sawamura said. “But remember that as helpful as he’s been, your informant is still Fire Nation. He can never be entirely trusted. I’d much rather have one of our own on the job.”

Kenma scowled, but said nothing. 

“You can all go,” Sawamura said. “Except for Iwaizumi.”

Everyone nodded, and began to disappear into the sewers. Kenma hung back for a moment, looking the two remaining men up and down, his golden eyes flashing. For a moment it looked like he had something to say, but instead he turned around and vanished into the darkness. 

Sawamura sighed. “Kozume is getting too close to his informant. I’m worried his judgement is clouded.”

“Do you think he can’t be trusted?”

“There’s no evidence for that yet, but letting your guard down is deadly.”

Iwaizumi shrugged. “It’s good that they trust each other, isn’t it?”

“Maybe. But friendship clouds judgement” He ran a hand through his short black hair. “In any case, let’s talk about you. With your job within the Fire Nation compound, you’re the perfect man to gather intelligence. Are you willing to take on the job?”

“Yes,” Iwaizumi said, completely convinced. The hunger in his voice was palpable. “I’ve been waiting for a chance to do something like this. To help.”

“Good,” he said. “I’m thankful. But I need to be confident that you can play the role of an objective observer.”

He scoffed. “Of course I can. It’s not hard to repeat what I see, is it?”  
“No  
. But friendship isn’t the only thing that can cloud a person’s judgement. Hatred can be just as bad. I want you to be safe, Iwaizumi.”

“I’m fine, Sawamura,” he insisted. “I’m ready. Tell me what I have to do.”

“All right. I believe you. Your job on the compound - construction, correct?”

“Yes.” It was Iwaizumi’s job to create the metal monstrosities the Fire Nation favored. Normally they wouldn’t want to allow Earth Kingdom citizens anywhere near the Fire Nation elites, but a metal bender like him could work ten times faster than a dozen fire benders. “They usually keep us away from the families, though.”

“That’s where the informant comes in. He should be able to help lead the target into the area you’ll be working.”

“How?”

“Leave it to him.”

“Fine.”

“Just observe carefully, but be subtle about it. The soldiers won’t like to see an earth bender staring for too long, understood?”

“Understood. Anything else I need to know?”

“Yes, but unfortunately, I don’t have anything else to tell you. We’re going in blind.”

“All right. Then if you don’t mind, could I get going? I smell worse than the sewer sludge.”

“Of course. Have a good night, Iwaizumi.”

***

After hauling himself back to street level, Iwaizumi was ready to sleep for a week. Unfortunately, there was one more issue that needed taking care of. On his normal route back home, he took a left turn and found himself outside one of Omashu’s shabbier boarding houses. Kyoutani was sulking in the alley beside it, just as he had expected. When he saw Iwaizumi he jumped into a fighting stance.

“Sit down, Kyoutani,” he said, his posture conveying a mixture of exhaustion and aggravation. “I’m not up to brawling in an alley..”

“What do you want?”

“I want to know what the hell you were thinking back there.”

“I was speaking my mind.”

“You were spewing nonsense. I invited you to join because I thought you were serious about making a change. Did I make a mistake?”

“No,” Kyoutani said, his voice suddenly small and wobbly. He cleared his throat and said in a rougher tone, “No. I want to show those Fire Nation fucks who they’re messing with. Whose city they decided to shit all over.”

“Then why were you giving lip to Sawamura? Last time I checked, he shares that goal.”

“I just… I don’t understand why it has to be so complicated. There are more of us than them,” he said. “If everyone would stop acting like a bunch of cowards, we could make them pay, tonight.”

Iwaizumi sighed. “That’s not how it works. If everyone in the city rose up and rioted, the Fire Nation would send their armies back here in retaliation. Tanks, rhinos, flamethrowers. Citizens aren’t the same thing as soldiers, and they gutted our army three years ago. We’d be obliterated, and everything would be the same, if not worse.”

“So, what? We give up?”

“No. Even if we can’t defeat them with pure power, we can outsmart them. Outlast them. Omashu is strong. And yes, that means things are going to be complicated. That’s just how it is.”

Kyoutani grumbled something, his eyes on the ground. The kid was a mess, and an idiot, but Iwaizumi had a soft spot for him. Maybe because he recognized himself in those angry eyes. For a moment, he was transported back to that day so many years ago. The fire, the screams, the deep, wrenching pain in his heart that felt like it was going to rip him in half. That day was burned into him forever. He might not have split in two, but sometimes it felt like he might as well have. And looking at Kyoutani, Iwaizumi knew that he had a day like that too. As did Sawamura, Kozume, and every other person in this city. It connected them, burned in them, and drove them towards the moment when all that pain would be repaid in full.

“Remember this, Kyoutani. No matter what,” Iwaizumi said, his eyes fixed on the starry sky, alive with rage. “No matter what it takes to get there, we’ll get our revenge. In blood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What'd you think? Please let me know! Wow I'm having a lot of fun writing this. My two obsessions have finally found an outlet


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa attends a dinner party, and makes a plan with Kuroo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let's get into it shall we

In about ten minutes, Oikawa Tooru would be attending a dinner party with the honorable Kuroo family, and he intended to make an impression. It didn’t have to be a good impression, but he certainly wanted to be memorable. He had briefly considered showing up underdressed and unwashed, just to make his mother mad, but in the end his love for grooming had overcome his passion for pissing off his parents. In the last three hours he had bathed in rose petals, styled his hair to perfection, and painted his already manicured nails a deep shade of scarlet. He looked incredible, if he did so say himself. The problem was, he was still in his silk dressing gown, staring at his somewhat massive wardrobe. Curse his indecisiveness. 

Oikawa ran his nails over a maroon tunic, then tossed it onto the floor. He should probably just put on his formal armor and call it a night, but that was so bland, so expected. Oikawa Tooru was not allowed to be bland or expected. Then an idea came to him. He left his closet and started digging through one of the boxes he hadn’t unpacked yet. And there it was - a white paper package he’d bought ages ago. He ripped it out, and pulled out two red satin garments. A wicked grin stretched across his face. Perfect.

Fifteen minutes later, he met his mother in the hallway. He put his hands in the air and spun around. “How do I look?” He was wearing a red sleeveless top that would’ve been fairly ordinary, if it didn’t cut off above his abdomen, showing off the defined chest years of training had earned him. He had paired that with loose pants trimmed in gold and sandals, and had wrapped an airy chiffon around his shoulders to complete the look.

“Like an exotic whore,” she said, her face the picture of aggravation. “But you’ve already made us late, so there’s no time to change. I assume you did that on purpose.”

“Who, me?” he fluttered his darkened lashes. “And that’s quite rude. I think I look pretty.”

“Yes, you look very pretty. But that’s not always the desired effect for the son of a General.”

“Would he prefer an ugly son?”

“At this point, maybe. Let’s go,” she said, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him down the hallway. Oikawa squawked, nearly tripping over his own feet.

“These shoes are hard to walk in,” he protested, doing all he could to keep up.

“Good. Of all the people to keep waiting, it had to be the Kuroos, didn’t it?” she complained. “You remember their names?”

“Uh, there’s Tetsurou. Then the dad, um… Takada?”

“Takeshi. In the name of Ozai, just don’t make it obvious that you have no idea what’s going on.”

“Noted.”

When they arrived at the front doors of the neighboring manor, both of them were in a huff, Oikawa adjusting his carefully positioned tufts of hair while his mother fanned herself vigorously. Seconds after they rang the doorbell a servant appeared to let them in. 

“Good evening,” she said, bowing. They stepped past her into a house much nicer than theirs. Or at least, with much nicer decorations. A little more furniture. “They’re waiting for you just this way.”

They trailed after her, then found themselves in a huge dining room, being stared down by a family of five. They were all men, all with Tetsurou’s messy black hair, and all dressed in traditional formal attire. Oikawa was starting to feel a little self conscious about his exposed midriff, but it was too late to go back now. He stuck his chin in the air and stared right back. Tetsurou made eye contact with him, and raised a dark eyebrow. Oikawa stuck his tongue out in response.

“Welcome to our home,” the oldest man said, clearly the father. Takeshi, as he had been recently reminded. The Kuroos all rose to their feet and bowed. Oikawa and his mother returned the gesture.

“Thank you for having us,” his mother said, transforming into the world’s most gracious dinner guest. “My most sincere apologies for being late. Tooru here is very particular about his appearance.”

Oikawa scowled at her. It was true, but he didn’t appreciate being thrown to the wolves.

“I can see that,” Kuroo Takeshi said, looking him up and down with a dubious expression. “Please, don’t worry about it. Take a seat.” He gestured at the two remaining chairs at the long dinner table. Two servants rushed forward to pull back the chairs for them. 

Once they were seated, Tetsurou spoke up. “So,” he said. “How are you finding the city?”

Before his mother could think up something polite and meaningless, Oikawa replied, “By the city, do you mean the inside of our house? Because that’s about all we’ve seen so far.”

“Oh, hush,” she said, still grinning like she was a contestant in the Fire Nation Beauty Pageant. “We saw some of the city when we first arrived. It seems like a very interesting place.”

Takeshi laughed, which dissolved into a fit of coughing. Tetsurou frowned and murmured something to his father, who waved him off. “Interesting is a word for it,” he said, still hacking. “A polite way to put it. Governing here has certainly been a challenge.”

“It’s been taxing on his health,” Tetsurou said.

“Ah, I’m sturdy,” he said, his face still red from coughing. “Though I have been thinking about taking a vacation. Ember Island, somewhere relaxing.”

“That sounds lovely,” his mother said. “We went there a few years ago.”

“Saw a shitty play,” Oikawa added.

“Anyhow. I’m sure you’ll have a good time here, nonetheless,” the governor said. “At least on the compound, things are peaceful.”

His mother stiffened, just a little. Oikawa doubted anyone else could have noticed. “Have you had issues in other places? With keeping the peace?”

“Oh, no. At least, nothing that could qualify as an issue. But we are still three years off of a hostile takeover, so there’s bound to be unrest.”

“Hmm.”

Everyone fell silent as a servant moved around the table, pouring glasses of wine. When she filled Oikawa’s glass, he threw back his head and drained the cup immediately. He looked at her expectantly until she topped him off again.

“Will you be studying with my son’s tutor?” the governor asked after a minute or two, looking at Oikawa.

He nodded. He could practically taste the boredom.

“Ah, she’s a wonderful teacher. Her talents alone are worth the trip. Wouldn’t you agree, boys?”

The brothers mumbled in half-hearted assent.

“Who will my firebending instructor be?” Oikawa asked. His teacher back home had always been his father. He had mixed feelings about studying under someone else.

“Ah, none of my sons are benders,” the governor said. “I am unfamiliar with that realm of study.”

“I hear you’re a firebending prodigy,” Tetsurou said, shooting Oikawa a challenging look. “Is that true?”

“I’m not a prodigy,” he said, thinking back the years of training, the sweat, the burns. “But I am a master.”

“Don’t be vain, Tooru,” his mother muttered.

“Ah, he shouldn’t have to lie about his skill,” the governor laughed. “I’ve heard many things about General Oikawa’s talented son. Though, it’s a shame about…” he cut himself off, flushing red.

“About what?” Oikawa said, cocking his head to the side.

“You know, the… nevermind.” He pointed at one of the servants. “Go see how the first course is coming along, would you?”

***  
After the dinner, Oikawa’s mother stormed off to her room, muttering something about insolence and bad table manners. He decided to take a brief stroll around the garden, unwilling to wash away all his hard work quite yet. Besides, it was late enough that the temperature had dropped significantly, and he enjoyed the cool moonlight against his skin. The garden was nice. A little too polished, maybe, but the flowers were pretty. He looked a picture standing in front of the roses, chiffon blowing in the breeze.

“That was a mess.”

He turned, this time unphased. He was getting used to Kuroo Tetsuoru’s habit of sneaking up on people. “Really? I had an excellent time, Tetsu-chan. The food was divine.”

“You’re different than I remembered,” Kuroo said, looking him up and down. 

Oikawa crossed his arms. “Would you be more comfortable if I kept calling you Roosterhead?”

“Not really. It’s just… I’d always hear stories about General Oikawa’s perfect son. A master firebender, a tactical genius… I pictured someone a little more… severe.”

“Hm. Well, I don’t know who’s been calling me perfect, but they were misinformed. There’s a reason father dearest had me shipped out here. But,” he said, brown eyes flashing, “I can be plenty severe.”

“Huh,” Kuroo said. “Noted.” Then he grinned, and the tension between them evaporated. “Wanna go see the city?”

“You mean… for real?” he asked, unable to hide his interest.

“Naturally. Omashu at its finest. Authentic tavern swill.”

Oikawa looked over his shoulder. They were alone, but it was still risky to use that name. He had to admit, he was warming up to Kuroo. “And how are we going to manage that?”

“I’ve been here for three years. I picked up a few tricks along the way. Do you want to come or not?”

He considered whether or not his mother would notice that it didn’t come home. Odds were, she had already passed out after enjoying a few cups of tea dosed with poppy. She was a creature of habit. And even if she was awake, he couldn’t bring himself to care. He’d think of an excuse later on. “Hell yeah,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “Let’s go.”

“Excellent,” Kuroo said, clapping his hands together. “But you’ll have to change first.” Oikawa scowled, but he just rolled his eyes in response. “If we go into downtown Omashu wearing Fire Nation silk, we’ll end up bleeding out in a gutter.”

“This is satin, actually,” Oikawa said, twirling. “Though I have silk. Also velvet, some lace to die for…” Kuroo gave him a look. “What I’m saying is, everything in my wardrobe would be rather conspicuous.”

Kuroo sighed. “Wait here.” With that he set off in the direction of his own house. A minute later he returned wearing a green tunic, carrying a dark bundle of cloth under his arm.

“What’s that?” Oikawa asked. Kuroo tossed it to him. He held it up. It was a dark brown cloak, made of scratchy material and smelling of something… earthy. He wrinkled his nose. “Really?”

“If you wanna go out, put that on. And hurry up.”

“Fine,” he groaned, scowling as he covered up his carefully constructed outfit with the aesthetic equivalent of a burlap sack.

“Well, you look like you’re either about to rob someone, or you’re part of a cult,” Kuroo said, looking him up and down. “But where we’re going, that isn’t out of the ordinary. Let’s go.”

Instead of leading him towards the wall that stretched around the compound, Kuroo brought Oikawa to the garden behind one of the half constructed mansions. Though it wasn’t quite a garden, not yet at least. There wasn’t a flower in sight, just mounds of freshly turned earth and huge sacks of unplanted seeds. Kuroo led him to the massive fountain in the center of the construction site. Kuroo stepped into the bowl of the fountain, currently bone dry, and pointed at an uncovered drainage hole. “That’s our way out,” he said, sounding quite pleased with himself.

Oikawa crouched down and peered into the darkness. “Really?”

“Really. Ladies first,” he said, bowing in Oikawa’s direction.

“Thank you very much,” he said, “But this lady is somewhat concerned about jumping into a hole at a stranger’s request.”

“Really? Judging by your outfit tonight, I’d have thought you wouldn’t have an issue-”

Oikawa blew a plume of bright blue flames at Kuroo’s feet, resulting in a satisfying yelp. “You go first. In the name of chivalry.”

“Fine, fine,” Kuroo muttered, examining the scorch marks on his boots. “Hey, I’ve never seen blue fire before. What’s up with that?”

“It’s a result of my natural superiority.”

“Ah, that’s what it is.” Kuroo stepped forward and lowered himself into the hole, feet first. Oikawa couldn’t help but wince when he let go and fell into the darkness. A second later he heard the soft smack of boots against stone. 

“You alive?” He called out, his voice echoing slightly.

Kuroo let out a tortured moan in response. “Oh, god… my legs are broken… hurry, get help, before the rats eat me!”

“Very funny,” Oikawa said with a small shudder. He absolutely despised rats. Putting that thought to the side, he edged his way over to the hole and dipped a foot in. Nothing jumped up to bite him. Taking a deep breath, he let gravity pull him down. After spending a single, terrifying moment suspended in the air, his feet meet the ground once again. He sighed in relief. It was still pitch black, but he had a solution to that problem. He held up his right hand and let fire curl around his fingers. The tongues of flame cast an eerie blue glow over the two of them, and illuminated their surroundings. “The sewers? Really?’ 

Kuroo shrugged. “It’s the only way to get out of there without bribing a guard, and I’m not made of money.”

“Said the son of the governor.”

“Said the son of the magnanimous General Oikawa.”

“Yes, we’re both rich assholes with nothing to complain about. Now could you work on getting us out of here, please? It smells like death.”

“Actually, it’s called shit.”

“I will burn all of your hair off.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess who's meeting next chapter?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi goes to a bar, and meets some new people

To his extreme annoyance, Iwaizumi’s plan to sleep through the rest of the week was interrupted by someone banging on the front door of his apartment two hours into his nap. At first he attempted to ignore the unwanted visitor by burrowing deeper into his bed and pulling a pillow over his head. Unfortunately, that just resulted in the noise getting louder. He shouted something angry and unintelligible at the asshole using his front door as a drum, but it still didn’t stop. Finally he detangled himself from his blankets and stomped towards the sound, completely prepared to murder whoever was on the other side. He ripped open the door to find Matsukawa and Hanamaki, already drunk, grinning at him like lunatics.

“Hajime!” Matsukawa shouted, lunging forward with his arms outstretched. Iwaizumi dodged the hug and grabbed his friend’s collar before he could face plant on the floor.

“What are you dumbasses doing?” 

“Come out with us!” Matsukawa said, clasping his hands together. “We were out drinking, and it suddenly occurred to us, this would be so much better with our good friend Iwaizumi.”

“Let me guess. You ran out of money?”

“Maybe,” Hanamaki said, unembarrassed. “But we still wanna hang out with you. All you do is work and sleep. You’re turning into an old man.”

“I can live with that,” Iwaizumi said, moving to shut the door. 

“Wait!” Matsukawa said. “C’mon, we haven’t seen you in forever. Are you getting tired of us or something?”

“Yes.”

“Very funny,” Hanamaki said. “Now come with us. Or we’ll tell your landlord you’ve started an illegal badger mole breeding ring in your apartment.”

Iwaizumi massaged his temple. He really wouldn’t put that past them. “Fine,” he said. “I’ll buy you both one drink, and then I’m going home.”

“Three drinks.”

“One.”

“Two.”

“One.”

“We’ll discuss it when we get there,” Hanamaki said, clapping him on the back.

They went to Seido’s. It was a rundown tavern that exclusively sold warm beer and a cloudy liquor that could have doubled as paint remover, but it was the closest option and he refused to walk any further. Iwaizumi ordered a beer for both of his friends and a cup of the hard stuff for himself. They sat down at the bar while they waited for the drinks.

“So, what have you been so busy with that you can’t pay attention to us?” Matsukawa asked. 

He shrugged. The answer was that the resistance had been working double time ever since a group of their own had been captured, but he didn’t want to get his friends mixed up in that stuff. They wouldn’t last a second in a fight. “Work, mostly.” They scoffed. “I’m serious. If I don’t keep up with their insane contracting schedule, they’ll reduce my pay, or fire me. I’m barely making rent as it is.”

“Bastards,” Hanamaki said. “What if you messed with their houses so the roofs will collapse on their heads?” The bartender overheard them as he brought their drinks over and gave them a wry look. Hanamaki grinned sheepishly at him and drained half of his beer. Normally it would be risky to discuss an attempt at murdering Fire Nation citizens, even if it was a joke, but no soldiers would be caught dead in a place like this. 

“And go to prison for the rest of my life?” Iwaizumi nodded to the barbender in thanks and took a sip of his drink. It nearly scorched off his taste buds, but he managed to swallow it, blinking tears out of his eyes as it went down. 

“You don’t have to kill them,” Matsukawa said. “Just… make the ceilings in the bathrooms too low so they bump their heads getting out of the bath.”

“Aha. That’s the way to defeat the Fire Nation. One mild concussion at a time.”

The bell above the door chimed as another person entered the bar. They turned to see, of all people, Kozume Kenma. “Kozume,” Iwaizumi said, his eyebrows raised in surprise. 

“Oh,” He stopped, and looked over his shoulder. “Iwaizumi. What are you doing here?”

“Drinking,” he replied. “With these two idiots.” The idiots in question waved, grinning. “This is my friend, from... work.”

“Oh, you’re in the construction business too?” Hanamaki asked. “Excellent, get over here. We’re discussing the art of subtle sabotage.”

“I should go, actually,” Kenma said, eyeing the door.

“Don’t let me scare you away,” Iwaizumi said. “Hey, I’ll buy you a few drinks, sit down.”

“I thought you were only buying one drink per person,” Matsukawa said.

“No, I’m only buying one drink per tipsy moron. Kozume can have as many as he wants.”

Kenma finally came over to the bar, and took a seat next to Matsukawa. “I didn’t know you came here,” he said.

“I don’t drink often.”

“And he’s too lazy to go somewhere with decent swill,” Hanamaki added, earning a scowl from the bartender.

“What about you, Kenma? I can’t really picture you hanging out in a place like this. Are you meeting someone?”

“I… yes,” he said.

“Really? Who?”

As soon as he asked that, the bell chimed again, and two more people arrived. The bartender was starting to look confused. Apparently, Seido’s didn’t get this kind of business most days. Two men stood at the entrance, surveying the meager but growing crowd. Iwaizumi stared right back. One was broad-shouldered, black-haired, and fairly unremarkable. The other looked like he was wearing a bad disguise, dressed in a cloak way too heavy for an Omashu summer. The black-haired one spotted them and waved. 

“Kenma!” he said, grinning from ear to ear. He strutted over to the bar and hopped onto the stool next to the smaller man. “Good to see you.” Kenma nodded, looking unenthusiastic. “Who’re they?” The stranger asked, glancing at the other three men.

“That’s Iwaizumi,” Kenma said. “Not sure who they are. He’s Tetsurou.”

“Very nice to meet you,” Hanamaki said, waggling his eyebrows. “I’m Hanamaki and this is Matsukawa. And who is this Tetsurou?”

“An acquaintance,” Kenma replied, his tone icy. “I see you brought along a friend,” he said, staring daggers at the cloaked man. While they were talking, he had drifted over to them, looking from person to person. 

“Ah, yes,” Tetsurou said. “Introduce yourself.”

“My name is Toor- Ahm, Taro. Nice to meet you all.” His voice was different than he’d expected. Breathy, with a lilt at the end of his words.

Iwaizumi looked the newcomer up and down. The cloak looked ridiculous, but he was stricken by his face. His features were unusually delicate, more like those of a statue than a real person. And what the hell was up with his eyes? Those lashes were long even to sweep the floor… He felt his cheeks heating up, and stuck his face in his drink. Taro certainly looked out of place at an establishment like Seido’s, stupid cloak or not.

“Tetsurou, could I talk with you for a moment?” Kenma asked, locking eyes with his friend. Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed him by the wrist. “We’ll be right back.” With that, they both disappeared with a jingle of the bell.

“What’s going on with them?” Iwaizumi asked. Kenma was acting strange. He was always levelheaded, so even the smallest thing out of the ordinary was a red flag.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Taro said. “Lover’s quarrel?”

Iwaizumi frowned. That didn’t sound like Kenma. Before he could push the issue, one of the idiots was talking again.

“What’s with the getup, Taro?” Hanamaki asked. “It’s boiling out here.”

“Is it? I’m, uh, chilly, actually.”

“What, are you sick…?” Matsukawa asked, leaning away from him.

“No,” he said. “I just hate being cold. But enough about that, I’m way too sober.” He approached the stool next to Iwaizumi, squinted at it, then wiped all the grime off with the sleeve of his cloak. Once it was clean he nodded and took a seat.

Iwaizumi snorted. “What are you, some kind of neat freak?.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Not wanting to sit in a pile of dust isn’t freakish.”

“What part of Omashu are you from, if you can’t handle a little dirt?”

“The Upper East Side,” he chirped. “Ever been over there? It’s lovely.”

“Sure I have,” he said. “Though lovely isn’t how I’d describe it. What does a pretty boy like you do for a living up there?”

“I could show you later, if you’d like,” Taro said, fluttering his ridiculous lashes. Despite his best efforts, the effect was ruined by the tent he was wearing, and Iwaizumi burst out laughing. “Mean!” he shouted, his face flushing crimson.

“If that’s your best effort at seduction, I’d better buy you a drink,” he said. “I doubt you bring in much cash with those kinds of moves.”

“I think you’re underestimating me.You’re buying me a drink, aren’t you?” He said, his boastful tone undermined by his red cheeks.

“Out of pure charity.” He waved over the bartender. “All they’ve got here is piss and poison,” Iwaizumi said. “Take your pick.”

“I live dangerously. Poison.” 

“Hey, Hajime,” Matsukawa said, grinning at him.

“No.”

“You are literally the worst.”

“And you are literally drunk.”

The moment Taro’s drink arrived, Kenma stuck his head back through the door. “Hey, Iwaizumi? Would you come out here for a second? We need you.”

“What the hell is going on over there?’ Hanamaki groaned. “Those weirdos are killing the mood.”

“I’m going to check it out,” he said, standing up.

“Before you go, Iwa-chan,” Taro said, holding up his drink, “A toast?”

Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow at the nickname, but picked up his own half-drained cup. Hanamaki and Matsukawa held up their own glasses, unbothered by the lack of liquid inside them. “To interesting strangers and shitty drinks,” he said.

“Here, here!” Matsukawa shouted.

They all clinked their glasses together. Iwaizumi and Taro, the only ones with any liquor left to drink, threw back the dark brown liquid. Taro’s face contorted in disgust, and he doubled over coughing. Iwaizumi would’ve laughed, but he was distracted by the considerable burn in the back of his throat. With one last glance at the weirdo in a cloak, he went to join Kenma.

Outside the tavern, the two absent members of the party were standing side by side. Tetsurou had a guilty look on his face. Kenma, on the other hand, looked absolutely livid. “What’s going on?” Iwaizumi.

“Tell him your name,” Kenma said. “Your full name.”

He sighed. “It’s Kuroo. Kuroo Tetsurou.”

It took Iwaizumi a moment to remember where he’d heard that before. “Kuroo as in, Governor Kuroo?”

“Yes.”

“The governor of Omashu?”

“Yes.”

“That bastard piece of shit? The cunt who’s been shitting on us for three years?”

Tetsurou made a face. “I mean… that’s one way to put it, but yes. I’m his son.”

He turned to Kenma. “What the fuck, Kozume?”

“He’s my informant,” Kenma said, his voice the embodiment of exhaustion. “We were going to meet here to exchange intel. I didn’t think you guys would be there. And I was under the impression he was coming alone.”

“And I was under the impression that it was more than a business meeting,” Tetsurou muttered, shooting Kenma a petulant glance.

“Kuroo. Not now!”

“Wait, so…” He ran his hands through his hair. “Who’s he, then? Taro, your friend?” He asked, pointing at the tavern door. Both of them snorted.

“Ah… well, you were going to find out eventually,” Kenma said with a shrug.

“Find out what?”

“His name isn’t Taro. That’s the son of General Oikawa,” Tetsurou said. “Oikawa Tooru.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well they finally meet! That was really fun to write. Please tell me what you thought, and thanks so much for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa and Kuroo return home, Iwaizumi has a talk with Kenma, and Oikawa practices his firebending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well this one is a bit of a wild ride...

After Iwaizumi had disappeared to have some sort of super-secret conversation with Kuroo, Oikawa was left with Hanamaki and Matsukawa. This turn of events suited him just fine. They were fun, even if they pestered him into buying them several rounds of drinks. By the time the rest of the party joined them all three of them were wasted, and Matsukawa was in the middle of a story about the time Iwaizumi pissed his pants in third grade. It was barely coherent, but Oikawa was drunk enough that it didn’t matter. All he knew was that it involved piss, which seemed pretty hilarious to him. He was in the middle of a cackling fit when Kuroo clamped a hand on his shoulder.

“We have to go,” he said.

“No, don’t,” Hanamaki said. “We have more stories.”

“Why?” Oikawa asked.

“I’ll explain later, just get up.”

“I’d love to, but I’m not sure if I can walk a straight line at the moment.”

Kuroo grabbed his wrist and yanked him out of his chair. “What the fuck, K-Tetsurou? Get off me.” He didn’t. Oikawa let his arm heat up, just enough to scorch. Kuroo hissed and let him go. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Just trust me, we need to go. We aren’t safe anymore.”

Oikawa looked over Kuroo’s shoulder. Iwaizumi and Kozume stood by the door, watching the argument go down. Clearly, something had happened. Iwaizumi was staring at him, his eyes bulging out of his skull, all the warmth from before gone. He pushed past Kuroo. “You two, what happened? What were you talking about?”

Kuroo stepped up behind him and whispered in his ear, “They know who we are.”

Oikawa went completely still. “How?”

“I’ll tell you back on the compound.”

With that information, Oikawa decided that retreat was probably the best strategy. He turned to Hanamaki and Matsukawa. “It was nice to meet you,” he said. “We should probably go.” They strung together a few sentences that were probably supposed to be persuasive, but they were too drunk to create an actual argument. Kuroo and Oikawa went to the door. “Nice to meet you too,” he said to Iwaizumi, who still looked like someone had asked him to calculate the diameter of the sun. He didn’t respond, which made him angrier than he’d care to admit, but Kuroo dragged him away before he could make a scene.

When they reached the sewers, Oikawa bent over and vomited into the canal, contributing something of his own to the river of filth. He retched a few more times, wiped his mouth, and stood up. “How’d they find out?” he asked.

“Apparently Kenma saw you when you first arrived in the city with your mother.”

“Really? It’s not like we got out of the carriage for a stroll.”

“I don’t know, but he definitely knew.”

“So, what? We can never go into the city again?”

“I’m… not sure. It’s a big place, we might be fine. It’s also possible Kenma won’t tell.”

“How close are you guys, exactly?” Oikawa aked.

“We’re friends. It’s not important. Let’s just go, okay? I’m exhausted.”

“Fine.”

He summoned another fistful of blue flame, and the two of them stared to make their way through the darkness.

***  
After dropping Hanamaki and Matsukawa off at their respective apartments, Iwaizumi dragged Kenma back to his place and slammed the door. “What the hell is going on?” He asked. His voice was shaking, but he didn’t care anymore.

Kenma sighed. “I already told you. Those two men were Kuroo Tetsurou and Oikawa Tooru. Kuroo is my informant. We were supposed to meet, and for some reason he brought Oikawa along.”

“I…” He started pacing, back and forth and back and forth. “So, what? Is the mission blown? He knows me now.”

“I don’t think so. It’s not like he knows you’re in the resistance. This might turn out for the better. You two were getting along, weren’t you?”

“I… yes,” he said, trying not to think about his long lashes and breathy voice and the way he wrinkled his nose when he was mad. “Goddammit, I’m gonna puke. That was the son of General Oikawa. That was a firebender.” He wanted to slam that bastard’s head through a wall. And then slam his own head through the same wall, for feeling guilty about the flurry of violent thoughts buzzing through his head.

Kenma sighed. “They’re people, you know.”

“Yeah, bad people.” He took a breath. “That’s another thing, Kozume. What the hell is going on with you and Kuroo Tetsurou? He seemed to think you two were something more than colleagues. What are you doing hanging out in bars together? You’re not supposed to be friends. You’re not an idiot, so don’t act like one.”

“Iwaizumi-”

‘In fact, I’d be willing to bet good money that that wasn’t a sanctioned meeting. Did Sawamura even know about it?”

Kenma’s stony silence spoke volumes.

“I thought so.”

“I’m doing what’s best for the resistance. For Omashu. Sawamura isn’t always willing to do what it takes.”

“If fucking the governor’s son is ‘what it takes’, you’re right, I can’t imagine Daichi doing that.”

Kenma’s golden eyes flashed. “I know what I’m doing, Iwaizumi. I know how to get real results, how to help the city. What about you? Last time I checked, righteous anger doesn’t actually accomplish anything. If you want, you can take Kyoutani and crack open the Oikawas’ skulls while they sleep. Then the rest of us can waste another month trying to get you out of prison before you’re both killed. Or, you can stop acting like a child and go make friends with him. Earn his trust. Then, when the moment is right, we’ll make our move, and you’ll finally get that revenge you’re so desperate for. The choice is yours.” With that, Kenma opened the door and stepped onto the landing.

“Wait,” Iwaizumi said. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I didn’t mean what I said.” Kenma sighed, and stepped back inside. “It’s just… I hate this. Everything about this.”

“I know. So do I. But it’s important to remember, the way we feel isn’t actually important.” Kozume closed the door again, and left Iwaizumi in silence. That night, he fell asleep with Oikawa Tooru’s voice ringing in his ears, set against the backdrop of screams.

***

The next morning, Oikawa woke up in his own bed with a bad headache and a very confusing string of memories. He remembered Kuroo, the sewers, the bar with shitty liquor. Then there were the drunk guys with funny stories, the buff one who had bought him a drink, and Cat Eyes… right, the one who had recognized them and led to their hasty return. Well, that had been a disaster.

He tried to go back to sleep, but the birds outside were being real assholes, so he dragged himself into the bathroom and set about washing last night’s bad decisions off his face. Once that was done he peeled off last night’s clothes and changed into a simple tunic and a pair of tobi pants, then ventured into the halls of the manor to try and find something to eat. His mother was already sitting in the dining room, her eyes clouded with the haze that always followed a night of inhaling poppy fumes.

“Look who’s up,” she said, taking in his disheveled appearance. “For someone who snored through half the day, you seem to be lacking in beauty sleep..”

“Is there anything to eat?”

She nodded at a plate of fruit in the center of the table. He wasn’t familiar with most of it, but he grabbed something that resembled a pear and took a bite. It was crisp and sweet, and rather delicious.

“Chew before you swallow, Tooru,” she said as he finished off the pear in three bites. “Your new firebending instructor showed up a few hours ago, but I told him you were sleeping. I thought it would be an unproductive session if I woke you prematurely.”

“Oh,” he said. “Shit.”

“I told him to come back tomorrow.”

Oikawa shook his head. He hadn’t practiced since they’d left the Fire Nation a week ago, and he couldn’t afford to get rusty. “I’ll run through a few drills on my own.”

“Suit yourself. How’s your knee been, by the way?”

“I haven’t trained in weeks,” he said.

“That’s not what I asked.”

“It’s fine. It feels good.” It was the tiniest bit sore after his hike through the sewers, but he wasn’t about to mention that.

“Just make sure to wear the brace.”

Oikawa groaned. The brace in question was a metal monstrosity that cut off his circulation and made it impossible to perfect his form. “Fine.”

He went back to his room and grabbed the cursed object, along with a couple of firebending scrolls he’d taken from his father’s library back home. Then he started scouting for a place to practice. The garden wouldn’t work. In his experience flowers were enthusiastically flammable, and his mother would probably scalp him if he ruined the landscaping two days into their stay. Then he remembered the garden Kuroo had brought him to, with the fountain and the empty flowerbeds. It was worth a shot. His memories were fuzzy, so it took awhile to find the place, but eventually he did. Sure enough, it was devoid of any foliage. Nothing he did to it could make it look any worse.

He started fumbling with his brace. Right at that moment, someone stuck their head out of the flowerbed directly to his left. Oikawa shrieked, and so did the stranger. Before he could disentangle his hands from the brace’s straps, a wall of rock came rushing towards him and knocked him on his ass. He scrambled into a fighting stance, but before he could burn the bastard’s eyebrows off, he recognized him.

“Iwa-chan?” Oikawa said. “What are you doing here?” Iwaizumi blinked and stared at him with the same astounded look from the night before. Yeah, it was definitely him, but now he was wearing a construction worker’s uniform. “Why were you hiding in a flower bed?”

“I was working on the piping,” he said, his voice stiff. “Ahm, I’m sorry about… attacking you.”

“I won’t tell the soldiers,” Oikawa said. “Besides, you didn’t do any damage. My mother hits harder than you.”

His expression darkened. “Excuse me?”

“Trust me, that’s hardly an insult.” They stood in an uncomfortable silence for a moment or two. “So you work here?”

“Yeah. Construction.”

“Huh. So… last night was weird. I don’t live in Upper East Omashu. Obviously.”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “I, um… I’m sorry for reacting the way I did. About you being… who you are.”

“It’s fine. I can imagine that it was a shock.” He forced himself to smirk. “Do you hate me now?”

“I…” Oikawa waited, watching as Iwaizumi processed the question. “No.”

“I might hate me. If I were you.”

He shrugged. “Well, I don’t.”

“Even though my people invaded your city?”

“No.”

“Even with the whole occupation thing?”

He ground his teeth together. “Nope.”

“Even though I literally live in one of the houses that used to belong to the Earth Kingdom royalty we dethroned and imprisoned?”

Finally, he snapped. “Do you want me to hate you?”

“Not really,” Oikawa said. “I just feel like you should.”

“Well, you didn’t do any of those things personally. Except for the last one. But don’t push it.” It looked like it pained him to say the words, but even so, Oikawa felt somewhat reassured.

“How forgiving of you.”

“Sure. Why are you here, anyway? The house isn’t done yet.”

Oikawa held up the scrolls. “I was going to practice my bending. If you need room to work, I can leave.”

Iwaizumi hesitated. “...No, shoot all the sparks you want. You won’t bother me.”

“Sparks?” he squawked. “Really?”

The corner of Iwaizumi’s scowl tugged upwards, just a little, and his posture relaxed. “You heard me.”

“So the great city of Omashu was defeated by an army of spark-benders?”

The scowl returned, full strength. “Spark benders with flamethrowers and tanks. Who used dirty tactics that targeted civilians and-” He stopped himself, cleared his throat. “Anyways.”

“I can show you some sparks, if you’d like.” Oikawa said. He took a step back and started to stretch. “I’ve never fought an earth bender before. The Academy tries to simulate it with catapults, but I’d bet the real thing is different.”

Iwaizumi laughed, then realized he wasn’t joking. He held up his hands and looked over his shoulder. “Are you an idiot? If someone sees me attacking you I’ll be skinned.”

Oikawa shrugged. “Well, I suppose you don’t have to fight back. Though I’m more interested in a sparring partner than a combat dummy.”

He made a face. “On second thought, I don’t care who sees, smashing your face into the ground will be worth it.”

“That’s the spirit, Iwa-chan!”

“Shittykawa.”

Oikawa grinned, and leaped at him with a roundhouse kick. Fire arced through the air, and Iwaizumi just managed to dodge it. He backed off for a second, worried that he had started too strong, but as soon as he hesitated his opponent had regained his composure. He sent two boulders flying at his head, both of which he managed to dodge, but barely. Oikawa crouched, placed his hands in the dirt, and sent a sheet of fire across the bare ground. Iwaizumi jumped, then raised his hand. A pillar of rock shot up from the ground. The earthbender landed on it, nimble as a cat.

“You’re light on your feet,” Oikawa said. “I’m impressed.”

He didn’t answer.

“It’s just that you don’t look especially… nimble.”

Iwaizumi jumped back to the ground and planted his hands in the dirt. Oikawa raised an eyebrow. Then the earth beneath him started to shake. He widened his stance, then cried out. His knee was throbbing in pain, worse than it had been in a while. He held up a hand to Iwaizumi, but he was still approaching.

“Hey, wait a min-” Oikawa was interrupted by a foot planted in the middle of his chest. He hit the ground hard. The air rushed out of his lungs, and all he could do was wheeze. Iwaizumi stood over him, ready to strike, his eyes burning with something that convinced Oikawa that something very, very bad was about to happen.

“Stop!”

Both of them turned towards the voice. It was Kuroo. Oikawa had never seen the expression on his face, but it could only be described as pure terror. Iwaizumi stepped away from him, a dazed look on his face. He struggled to his feet, his knee still throbbing.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Kuroo asked.

“I-”

“I asked him to spar,” Oikawa said, interrupted Iwaizumi. “He won.”

“Oikawa-”

“I’ve got to go,” he said. “Thanks for the match.” With that, he limped into the distance, the image of Iwaizumi’s eyes, alive with something he’d never seen before, burned into his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well there it is. i realize this one is kinda intense, but unfortunately, the enemies part of enemies to lovers has to exist, so...


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi recalls his past and considers his future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strap in folks, it's time for some Iwaizumi angst.

Ten years ago, when Iwaizumi Hajime’s father went to join the war effort, he hated his guts for leaving the rest of the family behind. “You don’t even have to go,” he’d choked out, his voice shaking with anger. Tears ran down his face, despite his best efforts to hold them in. “The king said Omashu is staying out of the war, so why are you doing this?”

His father had knelt down and looked him directly in the eye. “Hajime. I do have to go, even if no one’s forcing me.”

“Why?”

“Because a man always does what’s right, even if it’s hard. Even if he doesn’t get anything in return.”

“But-”

“Listen to me. There are people out there suffering and dying, and I couldn’t face you or your mother if I didn’t do everything in my power to stop that. Do you understand?”

He shrugged.

“When there are people who need your help, it’s always your responsibility to give it. Do you understand?”

Iwaizumi stared at the floor. “I understand. But… when are you coming back?”

“I don’t know. As soon as I’ve done my part,” he said. “While I’m gone, will you take care of your mother?”

He sniffled, then nodded. “Yeah.”

“I know I can count on you.” His father wrapped him in a hug, then clapped him on the back. “I’m proud of you, Hajime.” 

That night, Iwaizumi cried his eyes out, but he was careful not to make any noise. He knew his mother was lying awake in the next room, and he didn’t want her to worry. The next morning he made his mom breakfast, and walked to school. During lunch, one of the girls tapped him on the shoulder. 

“I heard your dad left yesterday. To go fight.”

He nodded. “Yeah, so?”

“I think it’s really brave of him. My mom says it’s shameful that Omashu won’t help the rest of the Earth Kingdom.”

“Oh,” he said, “Yeah. Well, you have to do what’s right. Even when it’s hard.” 

One of the boys in the other class, Gao, scoffed. “It’s not like getting cooked by the Fire Nation actually helps anyone.”

Iwaizumi turned and glowered at him. “My dad knows how to fight,” he said. “He’s going to show them who they’re messing with.”

“Whatever you say.”

He stood up and walked over to Gao’s desk. “My dad’s a warrior,” he said. “He’s defending the Earth Kingdom.”

“Well, my dad says that he and the rest of them are idiots who’re going to spend the rest of their lives in a Fire Nation prison,” he replied. 

Iwaizumi tackled him to the ground and swung wildly at him while tears streamed down his cheeks. They rolled around the floor, exchanging blows and cursing at each other. Iwaizumi gained the upper hand and clipped him in the jaw. Gao shrieked and fell backwards, dazed. While his opponent was down Iwaizumi stepped back and caught his breath. His dad had told him never to hit a man while he was down. 

Two years later, they received a letter informing them that Saike Iwaizumi had been taken prisoner. Everyone knew the stories about the prisons they took earthbenders to. He went into his room and didn’t come out for a long time. When he returned to school, he could feel everyone’s eyes on him. When the last bell rang, Gao found him after class and apologized. Iwaizumi couldn’t bring himself to respond.

The next few years were difficult. He tried to run away from home six times. Each time he got a little further, but he never made it past the walls of the city. One of the guards would always find him and bring him back to his mother, who’d shake him and slap him and scream until his ears were ringing and both of them were sobbing. He knew how badly he was scaring her, and it broke his heart, but he never promised not to do it again. His dad had taught him not to lie. 

All Iwaizumi wanted to do was enlist. To do what was right, like his father had said so long ago. Unfortunately, if you were under eighteen years of age, you needed special permission to join up, and his mother wouldn’t allow it. “If I can help it, you’ll never wear a uniform,” she’d spat after a particularly bad fight. “You’re not going to throw your life away like Saike did.”

“He’s a hero! He did what was right!” He had shouted. “And don’t talk like he’s dead. He’s out there, and he could be home now, if everyone would stop acting like a fucking coward and finish this fucking war!”

When he was seventeen, the Fire Nation arrived at Omashu. Iwaizumi nearly tore the house down when his mother wouldn’t let him join the men gathering to meet the army firebenders. The enemy had arrived on their doorstep, and she wanted him to do nothing.

“He would want me to go,” he’d said, in the same voice he’d used when he begged his father not to leave. “Please. I can’t live with myself if I don’t go.”

“He’d want you alive. It’s a losing battle.”

“I’ll go anyway. They won’t ask for any permission forms, not now.”

“Hajime. If you die, I won’t have anyone. My heart’s broken enough as it is. Please,” she’d said, her eyes filled with the pain of the last decade. “Stay with me.”

Iwaizumi had remembered the promise he’d made to his father, and he’d stay. But he felt his own heart breaking, too.

While they waited, he watched the spot on the horizon where he knew the two armies clashed. The siege dragged on for weeks. Then, one day, the battle turned. The sky filled with fire, and the city echoed with screams. Somewhere, a bell tolled. Iwaizumi knew what that meant. The warriors of Omashu were rallying for a last stand. Before he could think, his legs were moving, carrying him towards the battle. He heard his mother scream his name, and he heard his father’s voice again. In that moment it didn’t matter. There wasn’t room in his heart for anything other than bloodlust.

When he arrived, it was too late. From behind a building, Iwaizumi gaped at the scene before him. A seemingly endless river of Fire Nation soldiers flooded through the city gates. The charred remains of men in green uniforms littered the ground. Some were moving, some weren’t. He saw his friends, his classmates, his neighbors. A sob caught in his throat. A tiny band of earthbenders faced the sea of enemies. Among them he saw Gao, and all the hatred he’d ever felt for him evaporated. He stepped forward, ready to go to their side, but something caught him by the ankle. 

A man looked up at him. His entire body was covered in burns. His clothing had been reduced to ash, with the exception of his armor, which appeared to have fused to his skin. He had wrapped one ruined fist around Iwaizumi’s ankle. “Don’t,” he croaked. 

With that, Iwaizumi’s resolve disintegrated. He fell to his knees, closed his eyes, and pretended that he was nine years old, the war didn’t exist, and his father was waiting for him at home. The day Omashu fell, he cowered beside a dying man, clinging to a world that didn’t exist.

***

Three years later he stood over the son of his most hated enemy, ready to turn his head into pulp. His heart hammered against his rib cage as he stared down at Oikawa Tooru. He was burning with a decade of anger, but this felt wrong. He’d seen that terrifying blue flame, he was overwhelmed by the memories of his home going up in smoke. All he could hear was the screams of Gao as he’d died. But now that he had Oikawa at his mercy, he just looked scared. And there he was, the son of Iwaizumi Saike, ready to strike an injured, fallen opponent. 

Then Kuroo was there, shouting something at him, and Oikawa was gone. Iwaizumi stared at the place where he’d lay just a moment ago.

“Really? Sparring?” Kuroo asked. “Am I crazy, or is that a horrible idea?”

“Yeah,” he said, after a long pause. “It was.” Iwaizumi looked Kuroo up and down. The informant, the one Kenma was working with. Their very own Fire Nation ally. 

“Are you okay?”

“This is fucking with my head. You, him, all of it.”

“Well, snap out of it.”

“Thanks for the advice,” he snapped. “I was about to smash a rock into his head while he was on the ground.”

“That… yeah, that would’ve been bad.”

“You don’t get it, it was… ” He sighed. “That’s wrong. Even though he’s….” he shook his head. Right and wrong didn’t make sense to him anymore. His father had never thought to offer him advice on this particular type of situation.

Kuroo raised an eyebrow. “If you can’t stop yourself from attacking Oikawa, maybe you’re the wrong person to be doing this.”

“No. I can do it.” He needed to do this. He needed so desperately to do something right. But this mission went against so many of his values. The lying, the manipulation, every second he spent in the presence of Fire Nation nobility. He would need to come to terms with that. But first, he had something he needed to do.

“Where are you going?” Kuroo shouted after him.

“Nowhere.” 

He stepped out into the main courtyard of the compound. He needed to find Oikawa, but had no idea where he was, and the soldiers would stop him if he stepped out of bounds. But as it turned out, he didn’t have to look very hard.

“Hello.” Oikawa stood a few feet away, sitting against a tree.

“Hello.”

“What are you doing?”

Oikawa rolled his eyes. “Taking in the scenery. What do you think I’m doing?”

Iwaizumi looked around and realized that Oikawa probably couldn’t walk very well at the moment. “Do you want help?”

“No, thanks. Shouldn’t you be playing with pipes?”

Iwaizumi sighed. “I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry.”

Oikawa blinked, then looked over his shoulder. “Is that so? And what’re you sorry for?”

“I went too far. With the sparring.”

Oikawa sighed, and massaged his knee. “It’s fine. I shouldn’t have attacked you in the first place. You could’ve gotten in trouble. Though let’s be clear, you never would’ve won if I wasn’t injured.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “Sure.”

“I’m serious.”

“I can see that.”

Oikawa leaned back against the tree trunk and stretched out his leg further. “You looked like you really wanted to hit me. Why was that?”

Iwaizumi gnawed on the inside of his cheek. He could hear Sawamura, Kozume, and Kuroo in his head, all telling him to shut up. But he couldn’t. He was going to complete the mission, but he was going to do it his way. That meant telling the truth, whenever possible. “Because I wanted to. I don’t have any good memories of the Fire Nation, and seeing you bend was… difficult.”

Oikawa nodded. “Okay. That makes sense.”

“Also, you’re really irritating.”

His mouth dropped open, but his brown eyes flashed with amusement. “Mean.” 

“Anyways, I should get back to work. Are you sure you don’t want help? I could go get someone.”

Oikawa sighed. “No, I’m still in denial about the knee situation, I think I’ll wait here for a bit longer.”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. Idiot.”

He glared. “Maybe I should call the guards, and have them throw you in jail for disrespecting me.”

“Is that a crime now?”

He shrugged. “It should be.”

“I hope your knee falls off, asshole.”

“How does a knee fall off?”

“I can arrange a demonstration.”

“Begone, peasant. I tire of your threats.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, and went back to work. As he walked away he found himself fighting the smallest of smiles. He decided to ignore whatever that meant, at least for the time being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo yeah there it is, some backstory n all that. I hope you like where I took Iwaizumi's character, this chapter came out a bit later because I wanted to get this right. Anyhow thanks for reading, please comment and stay tuned for chapter 7


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa receive upsetting news.

“I’ve noticed that you’ve gotten friendly with one of the workers.”

Oikawa looked up from his book to see his mother standing in the door to his room. “Sorry?”

“Don’t play dumb,” she said. “I’m not blind.”

He shrugged. “I like to practice where he works. We talk.” He forced himself to sound lighthearted, but his heart was hammering against his ribs. In the week since the sparring incident, he’d been spending a fair amount of time with Iwaizumi. It was always under the pretext of irritating him, but he enjoyed it more than he’d like to admit.

“What about?”

“Literature. Politics. The intricacies of the garden’s plumbing.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You can keep your conversations to yourself, but make sure you don’t do anything more than talk. You always did have an appetite for servants.”

“So vulgar.”

“Don’t act like I didn’t know about every maid, cook, and gardener that found their way into your bed, Tooru. Things are different here in the colonies. Even the servants are of lower quality. The last thing this family needs is another scandal, understand?”

“Yes, mother. Is there anything else?”

“Actually, there is. We’re expecting a visitor from home tomorrow.”

“Really? Who?”

“Your old classmate,” she said. “Ushijima Wakatoshi.”

Oikawa nearly snapped his pen in half. “Ushiwaka? Why?”

“He’s shipping off to Ba Sing Se, and since your fathers are so close, I offered to put him up for the night while he passes through Omashu.”

He made a face. “Is it too late to revoke the invitation?”

“Don’t you start. When he’s here you’ll treat him with civility, understand?”

He groaned and leaned back in his chair. “Who’s next, Tobio-chan?”

She smirked. “Well, there is talk of sending Kageyama to join the war effort, so we might have the pleasure of hosting him.”

“He’s too young,” Oikawa snapped, suddenly plagued by the image of his father bestowing Tobio and Ushiwaka with medals of service.

“Well, he’s a genius, you know,” she said, an evil look in her eyes. “His parents think he’d be a valuable addition, age notwithstanding.”

He glowered at her, then turned away. “I have to study.”

“Of course.” With a swish of her robes she left him alone.

Ushijima Wakatoshi. Of all the people he didn’t want to see during his summer exile, he was near the top of the list. That presumptuous asshole, heading off to be a war hero, to take Oikawa’s spot on the front lines. And what was he supposed to do, cheer him on? Shout words of encouragement as he rode off into the distance? Wave a handkerchief? Even worse, Oikawa hadn’t seen him since the incident. Ushiwaka always thought he knew best, so he would definitely have some words of wisdom for him. He already felt like vomiting. 

Oikawa abandoned his book and went to the garden he’d been frequenting for the past week. He listened for a moment, then followed the sound of screeching metal and irritated grunts. There was Iwaizumi, on his back in one of the empty flower beds, sweating profusely as he welded pipes together with his bare hands. He had to admit, it wasn’t a bad look.

“Iwa-chan,” he whined.

Iwaizumi jumped, then looked up to see Oikawa peering into the hole. He glowered and wiped the sweat off his face. “What?”

“I need you to murder someone for me.”

He rolled his eyes then went back to work. “Who is it this time?”

“The embodiment of evil. Ushiwaka.”

“I thought the embodiment of evil was that kid from the Fire Nation. Toby?”

“Clearly you don’t listen to me when I talk. It’s Tobio, and he’s my archnemesis, not the embodiment of evil. Though he might share the title.”

“To be fair, you talk way too much. I memorize everything I can. Besides, how many enemies do you have? I’m starting to think that you’re the common denominator.”

“Not true! People just get jealous of my natural radiance.”

“Right. So what’s so bad about Ushi-whoever?”

“Ushiwaka. To start with, he’s an absolute idiot. Totally braindead. You can’t have a conversation with him. Second of all, he’s way too good at everything. It’s completely obnoxious.”

“It’s starting to sound like you have a problem with talented people. Jealous?” 

He made a face. “How could I be jealous of talent when I am the epitome of excellence?”

“I don’t know, but you somehow find a way.”

“Very funny. Anyway, he’s going to be here tomorrow, so I’d really appreciate it if he’d somehow miraculously trip into a flowerbed and end up with a pipe through his neck.”

“Sorry, but I’m beginning to get the impression that half of the people you complain about are the real victims in these situations.”

“If you knew what he sounded like, you’d get it.” He scrunched up his face and lowered his voice several octaves. “Oikawa, if you simply knew how to delegate your time and resources, you could be a much more effective soldier. I know everything about everything, I have reached the height of wisdom, the Fire Lord himself wipes my ass, because I am Ushijima Wakatoshi-”

“Wait,” Iwaizumi said, suddenly all ears. “Ushijima Wakatoshi?”

“Uh, yeah? Why?”

“Uh… I’ve just heard of him, is all. He’s also the son of a general, right?”

“Yeah. Our dads know each other, it’s why I have to deal with him. But why do you know that?”

He shrugged. “When your city is under attack, you learn information about the attackers.”

“Okay, then. Ruin the mood much?”

He glowered. “Colonize my home much?”

“Okay, okay, fair point.” He held up his hands. “Anyways. I wanna go out tonight.”

“Okay?”

“Into Omashu.”

“Sounds thrilling.”

“I’m asking you to take me, idiot. I need someone who knows all the local spots.”

“I’d rather not spend my time hauling a Fire Nation prince around alleyways.”

“I’m not a prince.”

“Then why do you dress like one?”

“Because not all of us are content to wear grease stained loin cloths all day.”

“Listen, I need to work.”

“Please?” Oikawa asked. “I need to get out of here.”

Iwaizumi let out the world’s longest, loudest sigh, then threw his hands into the air. “Fine. Whatever.”

“Hurray! Iwa-chan stopped being a buzzkill!”

“Don’t push it,” he grumbled. “Meet me outside the compound tonight. But seriously, go away, I’m behind.”

Oikawa complied, grinning ear to ear. His powers of persuasion continued to astound him. He started on his way back to the manor, when he ran into Roosterhead.

“How’s the garden coming along?” he asked. “You seem very interested in its progress.”

“Very well. Good plumbing. The pipes are… shiny.”

“Hm. Does your mother care that you’re spending so much time with the help?”

“Yes, but not enough to do anything about it. Yet.”

“I heard Ushijima is coming tomorrow. Exciting.”

Oikawa made a retching noise.

“You know, I heard he was there when you had your little meltdown,” Kuroo said. “Is that true?”

His expression darkened. “You don’t know anything about that,” Oikawa said, his tone full of daggers. “So don’t act like you do.”

Kuroo held up his hands, as if surrendering. “I never said I did. I’m just trying to understand the situation a little better.”

His tone was innocent enough, but Oikawa could see the glint of steel behind his facade of curiosity. Kuroo had intended for his words to sting, maybe just to see what his reaction would be. “Forget whatever rumors you heard about that. I have a problem with Ushiwaka because he’s a pretentious asshole, and that’s it.”

“If you say so. I remember him being a little uptight, I suppose.”

“I have to go,” Oikawa said, turning to leave. As he went, Kuroo watched him closely, his eyes glinting in the dim evening light.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! please comment down below, next chapter out soon


End file.
